The importance of tzedakah over the High Holy Days

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The High Holy Days gives us a special opportunity for introspection, to reflect on the past year and set intentions and goals for the next year. The concept of tzedakah (charitable giving) is a core Jewish value where philanthropic giving Is an essential element.

Charitable giving resonates with Jewish values, such as education, poverty relief, and environmental protection. As a community we can support economic justice through tzedakah efforts with organizations dedicated to eliminating poverty and achieving greater financial parity. We can also support local communities through targeted philanthropy and volunteer programs during this period.

However, consistency is the key for tzedakah which extends beyond the High Holy Days. An article at Aish.com that resonated with me focuses on consistency of giving. Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld writes in the article “Charity – Small versus Large Sums”: “Maimonides explains this to mean that when performing good deeds, quantity matters. Performing small good deeds many time is more significant than doing a single great act. It is better to give $1 a thousand times than $1000 one time.”

He continues, “The reason for this is clear. Every generous act we do makes an impression upon us, training us to become more caring individuals. One of Judaism’s great psychological beliefs is that if we act a certain way, we will ultimately grow into our behaviors. We are our deeds much more than our thoughts. Therefore, in giving charity our emphasis is equally on the effect it has on the giver as on the benefit gained by the receiver.”

In business, leaders can reflect on their company's social impact and set new goals for corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Some suggestions for businesses to think about to integrate the values and themes of the High Holy Days into their philanthropic strategies are:

How their business practices align with ethical principles.

How they can incorporate more charitable giving into their corporate culture.

What is their company’s social impact.

Set new goals for corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Support local communities through targeted philanthropy and volunteer programs.

Support educational initiatives, reflecting the holiday focus on renewal and learning.

Donate to organizations working on economic justice and poverty relief.

Wherever we are in our philanthropic efforts, we can honor the spirit of the High Holy Days while making a positive impact on our communities.

PATRICIA RASKIN, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, is an award-winning radio producer, business owner and leader. She has served on the board of directors of Temple Emanu-El, in Providence. Her “Positive Living with Patricia Raskin” podcast can be heard on voiceamerica.com.